Looking Back to See the Future -- December 28, 2012

So how was your Christmas?

Was it a Norman Rockwell Christmas?  Or was it a Norman Bates Christmas?

The week between Christmas and New Years' Day has always been one of my favorites.  Why?  It's the best time to reflect on the results of this waning year and to plan for a productive new one.

How was your 2012?  My one word to describe 2012--"bumpy".  Highs, lows, sidwayses (is that a word?).  This past year had it all. 

But I can look with hope to a new 2013.  My mentor, Jim Rohn, has a great quote:  "You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight."

That's the hope I have for 2013.  If you need this quote to help you through a tough situation, it's yours to keep.

Our lesson this week is called "The Law: God Gives the House Rules".  Let's set the stage.  The Jews have left Egypt.  They are in the wilderness heading for the Promised Land.  God wants them to have a list of rules for them to live by.  We know them as the Ten Commandments.

You'd think that the Jewish people would be thrilled with all God had done for them.  But it didn't go that smoothly.  We'll meet Sunday at 9:50 a.m. to get the rest of the story.

To help you along our discussion road, the passages we'll ponder are Exodus 34:1-9, Leviticus 19:1-2, Deuteronomy 6:4-5, and Numbers 14:11-19.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“If you want to be successful in life, simply watch what most people would do in a given situation, and then do the total opposite—nine times out of ten, you’ll receive greater rewards.” -- Earl Nightingale

Reflections of Exodus in the New Testament -- December 24, 2012

We did not have your typical Christmas lesson yesterday.  Instead, we looked at the Exodus of the Jews from captivity in Egypt juxtaposed with New Testament scenes.

We started with a little background about what the Passover is all about...

Passover Exodus Story told with Web 2.0 from GodTube

Our first passage was Exodus 6:2-9.  Let's take a step back to see where we came from.  God promised Abraham a family.  We saw Issac born to Abraham and Sarah.  Issac had a son named Jacob.  And Jacob had many sons--one of which was Joseph.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers because they were jealous of him.  But that was all in the plan.  Joseph became an important ruler in Pharaoh's Egyptian kingdom.  Joseph brought his family to Egypt when a famine struck.

The family multiplied over the years.  When a new Pharaoh came to power much later, he was threatened by the number of Jews.  So he had them enslaved.

For 400 years, the Jews were slaves to the Egyptians.  Only then did God call Moses to lead his people out of captivity.

This passage shows God speaking to Moses.  If you go forward in history, we see God's messengers speaking to people in the New Testament.  Angels spoke to Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and Simeon.

The second passage was Exodus 12:5-13.  In this scripture are the instructions God gave for the Passover.

The first nine plagues affected only the Egyptians.  This final plague would affect Egyptians and Jews.  But God gave the Jews a way to not have their first-born son killed.

The sacrifice of a perfect lamb foreshadowed Jesus' perfect life that would end in his death on a cross.

By the way, what festival was being celebrated when Jesus was killed?  Passover.

The last scripture was Exodus 14:10-14.  Pharaoh let the Jews leave Egypt.  But then he changed his mind.  Pharaoh and his army took off to recapture the Jews.  This scared the Jews.  They began to lose hope about having freedom.

In the New Testament, the time between Jesus' death on the cross on Friday afternoon and His resurrection on Sunday morning was a time of lost hope.  But God had a plan.

We ended with a video dedicated to all of those who lost loved ones this year.  The first Christmas without that special person is always tough.  But we can always remember the Good News...

Make it a great week.  Merry Christmas!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

"Plenty of people miss their share of happiness, not because they never found it, but because they didn't stop to enjoy it." — William Feather

Mash-Up of the Old and the New -- December 21, 2012

Have you ever watched the TV show "Glee"?

It's one of my guilty pleasures because of the music. Being 41 years old, I am definitely outside of the target market for popular music.  I use "Glee" as my secret weapon.  If a song is worth listening to, "Glee" will do a cover of it.  That way I can keep current on what is "hip" (is that word still used?).

One really neat thing about the songs on "Glee" is their "mash-ups".  A "mash-up" combines two songs into one.  It may switch verses and choruses back and forth or it might use one to respond to the other.

Our lesson this week is going to be a "mash-up".  How you might ask?

We'll go back and forth between the the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt with Jesus coming to earth.  How well will that work?  You'll have to join us at 9:50 a.m. Sunday morning to see.

Just so you'll know what Bible passages we'll use on the Old Testament side, click here for Exodus 6:2-9, Exodus 12:5-13, and Exodus 14:10-14.

We'll see if it turns out to be beautiful music or a clashing gong.  You might want to bring earplugs.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

"Don't wish it was easier, wish you were better. Don't wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don't wish for less challenges, wish for more wisdom." -- Jim Rohn

Go. Believe. Do. Abraham's Covenant -- December 17, 2012

The school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut dominated the beginning of our class.  Our hearts break for the families of those who were killed.

One big question was "What do we tell our kids about the shooting?".  Here is a website with some great information from the Crisis Management Institute for talking with your kids.

The lesson yesterday was about Abraham and his covenant with God.

The first scripture passage was Genesis 12:1-4.  This is the first time God appears to Abraham (then known as Abram).  God lays out a vision for Abraham.

Abraham had done nothing meaningful in his life to warrant special favor from God.  In fact, Joshua 24:2 says that Abraham's family worshiped idols before God appeared to him.

It's the same way with us.  You and I did nothing to deserve the grace that God gave through Jesus Christ.  We just have to accept it.

With no reluctance, Abraham packs up his family and possessions and heads to the land God told him about.  If you had to sum up this passage in one word, it would be "GO".

The second passage was Genesis 15:1-6.  This takes place years after the first scripture we saw.  God had promised Abraham many blessings, but it hadn't happened yet.  Abraham was getting impatient.

Here's a great song about what Abraham and his wife might have been thinking.  It's called "Who But You" by Mark Hall and Megan Garrett.

The one word I saw in this passage was "BELIEVE".

The final scripture was Genesis 17:1-14.  To help you understand this passage, here's a commentary from Michael Jr. on "Father Abraham".

The one word from this one isn't what you'd think.  The word is "DO".

God did not call Abraham to have a cerebral faith.  God didn't want a "head" faith; He wanted a "heart" faith.  He wanted a faith strong enough to make Abraham DO something.

It's the same with us.  We aren't told to keep our faith to ourselves; we're supposed to do something with it. 

Our book has a great quote by Tullian Tchividjian:  "Christians make a difference in this world by being different from this world; they don't make a difference by being the same."

So what were the three words we came up with?  "GO".  "BELIEVE".  "DO".

Does an echo of these three words come in the New Testament?

How about this?  "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

That's from Matthew 28:19-20.  It's a little thing called the "Great Commission".  It's in red because it's straight from Jesus' lips.

GO.  BELIEVE.  DO.  Three words we all need to live out this week.

Make it a great week!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“My grandmother told me when I was little, about 4 or 5, that if I ever found myself in danger to look for a house that had flowers growing in the front yard – growers of flowers would help keep me safe.”  Elizabeth Hilpert

Not Living Is Worse Than Death -- December 14, 2012

I drove to Chattanooga, Tennessee yesterday for an appointment at an elementary school.  It's about a 2 1/2 hour drive one way.  So, doing the math, I was in my car for 5 hours.

Driving time is my "reading" time.  No, I'm not one of those people who have the steering wheel in one hand and a novel in the other.  That's just nuts.

My "reading" is actually listening to books on CD.  A few weeks ago, I'd checked out three books on CD.  On previous trips, I had listened to the first two.  My final selection was "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch.

I can't remember how I stumbled upon Randy's presentation on YouTube; I may have even used a part of it in a lesson before.  If you want to invest one hour and sixteen minutes watching an inspirational video, click this link to watch Randy Pausch's "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams".


What makes this video unique?  Here's the backstory:  Randy Pausch was a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University.  Not long after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he gave this speech as his "Last Lecture" at Carnegie Mellon to an audience of over 400.  His point is not about being afraid to die; it's about not being afraid to live.

Randy lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on July 25th, 2008.  He left behind a wife and three kids--ages 5, 2, and 1.  His speech and this book isn't really for you or me.  It's for his kids.  He wanted to leave something behind that would tell them about who he was and what he believed.

The book I listened to was an expansion of his Carnegie Mellon lecture.  It is a wonderful book.

God used that book to talk to me.  You see, I've been frustrated about my professional career for a while now.  Sales haven't been good this fall and I was traveling all the time.  I've been asking God when the storm will pass. 

We just finished the Thanksgiving holiday, but in my heart it's been more like "Complaintsgiving".  It took a peek inside the life of a man given only months to live to help me realize just how well my life is going. 

It's funny that it really took God two books to get my attention this week.  "The Last Lecture" was one of them; the "Book of Genesis" is the other.  "How so?", you may ask.

Well, our lesson this week is about Abraham.  You can read all about Abraham in Genesis chapters 12 through 23.  It might take you 14 minutes to read.  But those chapters cover decades of Abraham's life.  His patience and faith was tested over and over.  In preparing for Sunday (9:50 am, of course), it took me until yesterday for it to get through my thick head that things that happened in Abraham's life can teach lessons in yours and mine.

What kinds of things?

Well, first of all:  read our scripture passages of Genesis 12:1-4, Genesis 15:1-6, and Genesis 17:1-14.

Secondly, come to class this week and you'll find out.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."  -- Randy Pausch

Them's Fightin' Words -- December 7, 2012

Are you a good fighter?

I'm not talking about the effectiveness of your left jab or if you have a black belt in karate.  I want to know if you are "good" at fighting with other people.

What do you mean by "good"?

Simply this:  How "good" are you at resolving conflict with others? 

Do you handle problems quickly or let them fester over years?  Do you look for a middle ground of agreement or take a "my way or the highway" posture?  Do you try to see a situation from the other person's perspective or just say they need to 'Cowboy Up' and get over it?

This Sunday at 9:50 a.m. we will see how the Bible instructs us to resolve conflict with other believers.  It's a great step-by-step process.  Our scriptures will be Matthew 18:15-17, Galatians 5:13-15, and Galatians 6:1-5.

Why talk about conflict during the "feel good" Christmas season?  Because family conflict at the Christmas dinner table is one of the most stressful times of the year.

I want you to see what we are supposed to do to resolve that conflict.

If you think about it, you can control only two things:  your attitude and your actions.  Nothing else.

Our lesson this week touches on both.  I hope you have no conflict at all in your life.  But if you do (or think one day you will), this lesson is for you.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

"If you could kick the person responsible for most of your troubles, you would not be able to sit down for six months." - Unknown

FAITH in Focus -- December 4, 2012

Our lesson this week was from Hebrews.  No one is exactly sure who wrote the book, but it is addressed to Jewish Christians who were being persecuted by both Jews and Romans.  The book explains how Christianity is the next step from Judaism.

Your homework this week is to read Hebrews 11.  I found 26 references to Old Testament stories in my first pass of reading it.  See if you can find more.

If you'd rather listen instead of read...

Our focus was on FAITH.  Verses 1 and 2 are a great definition of faith.

In our passage, we saw some great characters of the Old Testament.  We finished with the most important story of the New Testament.

As we approach Christmas, our minds are filled with images of Jesus as a tiny baby coming into the world.  That's a great image, but it isn't the one we should focus on.

That baby grew up.  And He changed the world.

We have the Bible to tell us about His time here on earth. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John gave us their views of what they saw.

But what if Twitter were around in A.D. 33?  Maybe the first four gospels would look more like this...

Follow Jesus--Twitter Style

I challenge you to share your faith with others this week.  Pray for opportunities to do it.  The Holy Spirit will guide you.  Take that step of faith.

Make it a great week.

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

"Days are expensive. When you spend a day you have one less day to spend. So make sure you spend each one wisely."  Jim Rohn

I Don't Do Deja Vu -- November 30, 2012

Have you ever seen the movie "Groundhog Day" with Bill Murray and Andie McDowell?

Phil Connors (Bill Murray) is a weather forecaster who is in Punxsutawaney, Pennsylvania to see whether or not a groundhog sees his shadow.  This is Phil's fourth year having to do it and he is bored.

Finally, the day of festivities is over and he goes to bed. 

His radio alarm clock wakes him to Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" and he finds himself reliving the same day once again.  He goes to bed.

His radio alarm clock wakes him to Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" and he finds himself reliving February 2nd again.  He goes to bed.

His radio alarm clock wakes him to Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe"...well, you get the idea.

Phil uses the time to do lots of things; some good, some not so good.  But he keeps trying until he gets it right.

It's a great movie.  It's one of those movies you just have to watch if you turn past it.

Why would I bring up "Groundhog Day"?

Well, we begin a new quarter in our "The Gospel Project" curriculum.  Turns out, our first book was the beta version of the series.  Our new book for the winter quarter takes us on a journey through the Old Testament.

But here's the rub.  The first two lessons in our new book were lessons one and four in our last book.  Different points but the exact same scripture passages.

I don't really feel like teaching about God creating the earth again since I did that in September.  Not much has changed in 90 days.  You probably don't want to hear it again so soon either.

So we are going to look at a central tenant of Christianity:  FAITH.

Here are the Bible passages we will focus on this week:

Hebrews 11:1-2, Hebrews 11:5-7, Hebrews11:32-38, and Hebrews 12:1-2

Remember, the Book of Hebrews is a proverbial "preaching to the choir" kind of book.  It was written for Jews who were either new to the faith or were still kicking the tires.

The audience for Hebrews were those who knew the Old Testament and sought to live out its words.  It reminds me of our class in a way.  You see, most everyone in our class grew up in church.  You've heard the stories; you know the Bible.  Even if you didn't grow up in church, you've been a believer for a while.

Ours is not a class of new Christians.  That's why I believe Hebrews is a good place for us this week.  On Sunday (9:50 a.m. of course), we'll look at faith and what it means.

Make sure you bring your Bible so we can look up these and other passages.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

"It is never too late to be what you might have been."  George Eliot

Recharge Your Spiritual Batteries -- November 26, 2012

Why do you come to church?

What do you get from coming to church?

What do you bring to our church?

What is your favorite part of church?

When the Jewish people were taken into captivity in Babylon, most of their knowledge of the Law and customs vanished.  Years later, King Cyrus allowed Nehemiah to take the Jews back to Jerusalem to rebuild the city.  42,360 people went with him.

They gathered together, and Ezra, the chief priest, read from the Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament) from daybreak to noon.  Six hours the people stood to hear what God gave them through Moses.

This account came from Nehemiah 8.  Unfortunately, with so many hard-to-pronounce Old Testament names, I didn't want to embarrass anyone who read.  So instead we watched a dramatic interpretation of our scripture.

How many people would show up if we scheduled a 6-hour "Listen to the Bible Being Read" event?

Fast forward 618 years and you'd see a different crowd in Jerusalem.  Now we visit Acts 2.  This is the first recorded sermon after Jesus' ascension into heaven.  Peter preaches a wonderful sermon to the Jewish crowd.  These Jews were from all over the known world and had gathered in Jerusalem.  This is right after Pentecost when the Holy Spirit had filled the believers.  Those believers received the gift of tongues allowing them to speak in other languages.

We didn't read the sermon.  We did something different.  We watched a video of Jim Rohn, a business philosopher, who described the reactions to that sermon.  Remember that what you'll see is part of a business seminar, not a church service.  It's a reminder that it's always possible to incorporate the Gospel into anything you do.

(Go to the 16:14 mark and watch until 19:55)

I hope you see being at church as a blessing instead of a burden.  It's important for you to be here learning about Jesus.  But it's even more important that your kids see that going to church is important to you and your family.

Fellowship time with other believers recharges your spiritual batteries.  It helps you keep going and going and going!

Make it a great week!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“Never assume you understand. Ask the questions.”  Brian Tracy

We're All In This Together -- November 23, 2012

I hope you enjoyed eating way too much food yesterday for Thanksgiving.

If you are traveling this weekend, stay safe.  If you will be in town on Sunday, I hope to see you at 9:50 a.m. for a wonderful time together.

The title of our lesson is "Listening Together".  The scripture passages are Nehemiah 8:1-12 and Acts 2:42.

Give it a quick read.  Then you'll be prepared.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

"Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it."  Bill Cosby

Keeping it in CONTEXT -- November 19, 2012

We’re going to start with a Bible drill of sorts this morning.

We will look at some verses in scripture to see what the Bible commands us to do.

First up, Matthew 19:21==>  “Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

So that will be your first agenda item tomorrow morning when the banks open.

Now what will you do when April 15^th rolls around and you have no money to pay your taxes because you’ve given your money and possessions to the poor?  Fortunately, Jesus answers that for us.

Look up Matthew 17:27==> “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

Anybody want to join me at the lake this afternoon to catch some tax money?

But you know--we always talk about the upside of following God.  But to be fair and balanced, we need to show both sides.  Let’s look at Matthew 4:8-9==>  “Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.  “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

That sounds like a tempting proposal.  Why don’t preachers tell us about this great deal that Satan has for us?

Now, I don’t want to judge you if you decide to take Satan up on his offer.  Mostly because of Matthew 7:1==>  “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”

Each of you needs to make your own choice.  It’s too important for me to try to influence you.  I believe you should choose God.  But if you don’t, I really can’t say that you are wrong.  Why?  Because of John 8:7==>  “When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

I will admit that I’m not perfect; I have sin in my life.  So I can’t recommend you do anything.  You can just figure it out on your own.

I hope you enjoyed that concoction of quotes from scripture.  No verse was harmed in this illustration.  I did not alter any verse.  I hope you got my point, though.  When you pick out bits and pieces, you can really alter what the Word says, can’t you?

The word for the day is "CONTEXT".  The context of any scripture is vitally important to its' proper perspective on our lives.

For instance, in 1 Corinthians 11:6, Paul writes, "If a woman's head is not covered, her hair should be cut off."  Is the application of this text to mean that the women in our church should wear hats to church every week or else shave their heads?  NO!

Then why did Paul say this to the church in Corinth?  Well, in Corinth, the women who publicly displayed their long hair were prostitutes.  So modesty is the truth here, not hair length.  Like other passages in the Bible, Christians are commanded to be different from the world.  This is just another example.

We looked at four different styles of writing (or genres) in the Bible:  Historical Narrative, Wisdom Literature, Prophecy, and Letters.  Each must be filtered through the context of their authorship.

Douglas Moo had a great quote about the Letters of the New Testament:  “As we read the letters of the New Testament, we are hearing one end of the telephone conversation. We have Paul responding to situations or answering questions a church has asked, but often we don’t know what those situations or questions were. We need to read the New Testament letters with an ear open to the questions or historical situations being addressed.” 

I want to introduce you to an organization called "I am Second".  Its purpose is to inspire people to live for God and others.

If you go to their website--www.iamsecond.com--you'll see video testimonies from people like Joe Gibbs, Matt Barkley, Tony Dungy, Scott Hamilton, Kathy Ireland, Josh Turner, and Michael W. Smith.  You can also see a video from one of our own class members.  Just click on "Films" at the top right, or click here.

The movement utilizes small groups of 2 to 8 people to be accountable to each other in studying the Bible and applying it to their lives.

Their meeting format has a great series of questions to ask about any scripture passage you read.  It goes like this:

Read a Bible passage.

Ask:  What did you like?

Ask:  What did you not like or find confusing?

Read the Bible passage again.

Ask:  What does this teach about people?

Ask:  What does this teach about God?

Read the Bible passage one more time.

Ask:  How will I live this out?

Ask:  Who will I tell about what I have learned?

It's a neat way of studying any scripture passage.

Two men were traveling by foot from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They were talking about the crucifixion of Jesus when suddenly Jesus joined them on their journey. As they walked, the conversation turned to Scripture. “Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted for them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures” (Luke 24:27). In essence, the great Teacher gave them a proper understanding of how God speaks through His Word.

We don’t have Jesus with us physically to explain the Bible to us.  But if we listen to the Holy Spirit while we are studying scripture, we’ll stay on the right path.

If you are traveling for Thanksgiving, be safe.  Enjoy time with your family and friends.  You have lots to be thankful for.

Make it a great week!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“It is better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and not be prepared.”  Whitney Young Jr.

What Does the bible Mean When It Says... -- November 16, 2012

Great news everyone!

This week we are going to dive into Bible hermeneutics.  I know you are as thrilled as I am.  Can't wait!

What is "hermeneutics"?  Simple.  According to Merriam-Webster's dictionary, it's "the study of the methodological principles of biblical interpretation".

Say that four times fast.

Would you like the English translation of what you just read?

This week, we'll look at four different styles of writing in the Bible:  historical narrative, wisdom literature, prophecy, and letters.  Feel better now?

Normally, I send you a link of the scripture passages we'll cover.  Because it's a hodge-podge of verses this week, I'm not going to.

Instead, read pages 112-117 in your study guide.  It will give you a foundation for our discussion Sunday morning (9:50 a.m.).

Each style of writing asks us to understand it differently.  You'll understand Sunday.

By the way, don't forget: the guys need to meet at the church Saturday morning at 7:00 a.m. to cover the fellowship hall walls with paper for the Breakfast with Santa coming up in a few weeks.  Bring a ladder if you have one.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“Monotony is the awful reward of the careful." - A. G. Buckham

The Power of a Story -- November 13, 2012

With many funny names in our 2 Kings 22 scripture passage, it was nice to let the professionals perform it for us.

King Josiah had one plan (restoring the Temple) that led to a better plan (finding the lost Book of the Law).  After hearing the Law read to him, he tore his clothes in agony because his people had not been doing what God wanted them to.

We talked about how the Bible is a collection of stories with one overall storyline from beginning to end--God's love for his people.

Many of you commented on the video about the lady who ministered to the needs of the waitress at Subway.  I'd love to send you a link to the video, but it's copyright protected.

I will send you a link to Tim Hawkin's testimony.  Like I said, you'll get extra credit if you can top his version.  Here it is...

Tim Hawkins - What I Believe

God has done great things in your life.  Always be ready to share your story with others.

Make it a great week!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

"Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." -- Victor Borge

A Different Type of SUBMIT Button -- November 9, 2012

"I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

This is the Oath of Enlistment that every new recruit in the U.S. military must take.  Notice that the oath is to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States".  Those that wear the uniform swear to uphold the document that lays out how this nation is governed.

We saw provisions of the Constitution in action this week with the Presidential Election.  Whether or not you liked the outcome, the process worked.

This Sunday, November 11th, is Veterans Day.  It is a day to say "Thank You" to anyone who has been or is currently serving in our military.

Where did Veterans Day come from?  Would you believe it comes from the end of World War I?

The conclusion of World War I came on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 when Germany signed an Armistice (cessation of hostilities) which ended "The War to End All Wars".

The holiday was first celebrated as "Armistice Day" but was officially changed to "Veterans Day" in 1954 to honor not just WWI soldiers but all who had served in World War II and Korea plus those who would come after.

Did you know that Birmingham, Alabama holds the oldest Veterans Day parade in the country?  It's true.

Raymond Weeks, a WWII veteran from Birmingham, led the first Veterans Day parade in the country in 1947 and led it each year until his death in 1985.  This year's parade will be Monday at 1:30 p.m. and goes through downtown Birmingham.

Loved the historical perspective, Darren, but what does it have to do with our lesson this week?

Do you remember the part in the Oath of Enlistment that says "I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me"?

This phrase puts an enlisted member of the military in a willing position of submitting to a higher authority.

Isn't submitting what we as Christians should do to God?  Isn't He the "higher authority"?

This Sunday at 9:50 a.m., we will look at one New Testament passage and one Old Testament story.  It will be Hebrews 4:12-13 and 2 Kings 22:3-20.

We'll see what King Josiah did when a lost Book of the Law was found while rebuilding the Temple.

Who knows?  We may even see a few parallels between what's happening now and what happened then.

And you thought human nature had changed in 26 centuries. 

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“When government accepts responsibility for people, then people no longer take responsibility for themselves.” – George Pataki

Trusting God, No Matter the Cost -- November 5, 2012

I hope you enjoyed playing "American Bible Challenge" to start yesterday.  It's a great app to put on your phone.  Challenge your kids to see what they are learning in their Sunday School classes.

The lesson came from Chapter 7 of the Book of Acts.  We looked at Stephen who was the first Christian killed for his faith.

Our whole lesson revolved around the paragraph on the bottom of page 94 in your "The Gospel Project" book:

"Stephen’s testimony offers us a 3-D Christianity. He shows us that following Jesus Christ involves three dimensions: information, transformation, and proclamation. Stephen believed the good news about Christ (information), loved Christ (transformation), and preached Christ (proclamation). Likewise, we have the opportunity to give our heads, hearts, and lips to the God who creates us and re-creates us."

As Stephen was addressing the Sanhedrin, the Jewish High Council, he began by giving a recap of the Old Testament.  He was establishing common ground.  Stephen was able to do this from memory because he knew what the Scriptures say.

You should be the same way.  As a believer, you should have a good working knowledge of what's contained in the Bible.  You don't have to be a world-class theologian, but you should know the building blocks of your faith.

One of the blurbs in your book on page 97 gave one quick snippet of "The Baptist Faith and Message".  This document contains the tenets of what Southern Baptists believe.  If you've never read it, do it now.

The Baptist Faith and Message

Back in high school, I always loved reading the Cliff's Notes for a book (after I did read the assigned book) because it discussed the symbolism, meaning, and historical context.  Wouldn't it be great if the Bible had Cliff's Notes?  Well here they are...

After giving a history lesson, Stephen changed the tone of his sermon.  In verses 52 and 53, he throws down the gauntlet in a big way.  Stephen accuses the Jewish High Council of not keeping the Law.  That's like accusing a BAMA fan of wearing Auburn pajamas.  Them's fightin' words.

The Jewish High Council took exception to this accusation by Stephen.  So much so that they took him out of the city and stoned him to death.

What's the lesson here?  You and I are called to be bold in proclaiming Christ to others no matter what the cost.

We demonstrate our trust in God's Word when we know it, when we believe it, and when we proclaim it boldly.

I challenge you to spend time in the Bible every day.  It's amazing how often your Bible reading will give you wisdom to tackle issues you are going through in life.

That was all the lesson.  But since Tuesday is Election Day, I had to show a video that's a bit political.  I hope you like it...

Make it a great week!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

"Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm."  Publilius Syrus

For What Would YOU Give Your Life, Your Fortune, Your Sacred Honor? -- November 2, 2012

What would you give up your life for?

For whom would you hand over every dime you have?

Sobering questions, aren't they?

This Sunday at 9:50 a.m., we'll look at Stephen's witness in Acts 6:8-15 and Acts 7.  Stephen was stoned for his beliefs; he was the first Christian martyr.

You'll enjoy the route we take in examining our passage. 

I always try to relate our lesson to things happening today.  It makes the story more vivid.

So what's going on in the world right now?  Is there an election coming up?

Tuesday is Election Day.  It's the day we'll decide who will lead our country for the next four years.

I wanted to step back from all the bile and vitriol that's been spewed from both sides.  (Translation: Let's step out of the political mud for a moment.)

Let's go all the way back to when our country was born.  Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence which severed our ties with Great Britain.

How did that work out for them?  Here's an excerpt from "The Americans Who Risked Everything":

· Francis Lewis, New York delegate saw his home plundered -- and his estates in what is now Harlem -- completely destroyed by British Soldiers. Mrs. Lewis was captured and treated with great brutality. Though she was later exchanged for two British prisoners through the efforts of Congress, she died from the effects of her abuse.

· William Floyd, another New York delegate, was able to escape with his wife and children across Long Island Sound to Connecticut, where they lived as refugees without income for seven years. When they came home they found a devastated ruin.

· Philips Livingstone had all his great holdings in New York confiscated and his family driven out of their home. Livingstone died in 1778 still working in Congress for the cause.

· Louis Morris, the fourth New York delegate, saw all his timber, crops, and livestock taken. For seven years he was barred from his home and family.

· John Hart of Trenton, New Jersey, risked his life to return home to see his dying wife. Hessian soldiers rode after him, and he escaped in the woods. While his wife lay on her deathbed, the soldiers ruined his farm and wrecked his homestead. Hart, 65, slept in caves and woods as he was hunted across the countryside. When at long last, emaciated by hardship, he was able to sneak home, he found his wife had already been buried, and his 13 children taken away. He never saw them again. He died a broken man in 1779, without ever finding his family.

· Dr. John Witherspoon, signer, was president of the College of New Jersey, later called Princeton. The British occupied the town of Princeton, and billeted troops in the college. They trampled and burned the finest college library in the country.

· Judge Richard Stockton, another New Jersey delegate signer, had rushed back to his estate in an effort to evacuate his wife and children. The family found refuge with friends, but a Tory sympathizer betrayed them. Judge Stockton was pulled from bed in the night and brutally beaten by the arresting soldiers. Thrown into a common jail, he was deliberately starved. Congress finally arranged for Stockton's parole, but his health was ruined. The judge was released as an invalid, when he could no longer harm the British cause. He returned home to find his estate looted and did not live to see the triumph of the Revolution. His family was forced to live off charity.

· Robert Morris, merchant prince of Philadelphia, delegate and signer, met Washington's appeals and pleas for money year after year. He made and raised arms and provisions which made it possible for Washington to cross the Delaware at Trenton. In the process he lost 150 ships at sea, bleeding his own fortune and credit almost dry.

· George Clymer, Pennsylvania signer, escaped with his family from their home, but their property was completely destroyed by the British in the Germantown and Brandywine campaigns.

· Dr. Benjamin Rush, also from Pennsylvania, was forced to flee to Maryland. As a heroic surgeon with the army, Rush had several narrow escapes.

· John Martin, a Tory in his views previous to the debate, lived in a strongly loyalist area of Pennsylvania. When he came out for independence, most of his neighbors and even some of his relatives ostracized him. He was a sensitive and troubled man, and many believed this action killed him. When he died in 1777, his last words to his tormentors were: "Tell them that they will live to see the hour when they shall acknowledge it [the signing] to have been the most glorious service that I have ever rendered to my country."

· William Ellery, Rhode Island delegate, saw his property and home burned to the ground.

· Thomas Lynch, Jr., South Carolina delegate, had his health broken from privation and exposures while serving as a company commander in the military. His doctors ordered him to seek a cure in the West Indies and on the voyage, he and his young bride were drowned at sea.

· Edward Rutledge, Arthur Middleton, and Thomas Heyward, Jr., the other three South Carolina signers, were taken by the British in the siege of Charleston. They were carried as prisoners of war to St. Augustine, Florida, where they were singled out for indignities. They were exchanged at the end of the war, the British in the meantime having completely devastated their large landholdings and estates.

· Thomas Nelson, signer of Virginia, was at the front in command of the Virginia military forces. With British General Charles Cornwallis in Yorktown, fire from 70 heavy American guns began to destroy Yorktown piece by piece. Lord Cornwallis and his staff moved their headquarters into Nelson's palatial home. While American cannonballs were making a shambles of the town, the house of Governor Nelson remained untouched. Nelson turned in rage to the American gunners and asked, "Why do you spare my home?" They replied, "Sir, out of respect to you." Nelson cried, "Give me the cannon!" and fired on his magnificent home himself, smashing it to bits. But Nelson's sacrifice was not quite over. He had raised $2 million for the Revolutionary cause by pledging his own estates. When the loans came due, a newer peacetime Congress refused to honor them, and Nelson's property was forfeited. He was never reimbursed. He died, impoverished, a few years later at the age of 50.

Of those 56 who signed the Declaration of Independence, nine died of wounds or hardships during the war. Five were captured and imprisoned, in each case with brutal treatment. Several lost wives, sons or entire families. One lost his 13 children. Two wives were brutally treated. All were at one time or another the victims of manhunts and driven from their homes. Twelve signers had their homes completely burned. Seventeen lost everything they owned. Yet not one defected or went back on his pledged word. Their honor, and the nation they sacrificed so much to create is still intact.

And, finally, there is the New Jersey signer, Abraham Clark.

He gave two sons to the officer corps in the Revolutionary Army. They were captured and sent to that infamous British prison hulk afloat in New York Harbor known as the hell ship Jersey, where 11,000 American captives were to die. The younger Clarks were treated with a special brutality because of their father. One was put in solitary and given no food. With the end almost in sight, with the war almost won, no one could have blamed Abraham Clark for acceding to the British request when they offered him his sons' lives if he would recant and come out for the King and Parliament. The utter despair in this man's heart, the anguish in his very soul, must reach out to each one of us down through 200 years with his answer: "No."

The 56 signers of the Declaration Of Independence proved by their every deed that they made no idle boast when they composed the most magnificent curtain line in history. "And for the support of this Declaration with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." 

There is no more profound sentence than this: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness..."

These are far more than mere poetic words. The underlying ideas that infuse every sentence of this treatise have sustained this nation for more than two centuries. They were forged in the crucible of great sacrifice. They are living words that spring from and satisfy the deepest cries for liberty in the human spirit.

"Sacred honor" isn't a phrase we use much these days, but every American life is touched by the bounty of this, the Founders' legacy. It is freedom, tested by blood, and watered with tears.

This came from a speech given by the father of radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh.  You may like or dislike Rush Limbaugh, but you cannot argue with the sacrifice made by many of the signers of the document which created our great country.

We live in a place that does not require sacrifice on a scale even remotely close to what our founders faced.

Yet, as Christians, God calls us to give everything we have and everything we are to Him.

Are you willing to do that?

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

Speaking about his preaching style:  “I simply set myself on fire and people come to watch me burn.”  - John Wesley

Are We Under Attack? -- October 26, 2012

Are we under attack at Liberty Park Baptist Church?

Let's look at the scoreboard.  Name a church staff member and I bet I can name a crisis they have faced in the last 90 days.

Look at the names of the people on the "To" line of this email and most of them have experienced a personal, family, or close friend crisis in the last 90 days.

What does this mean?  Part of me says, "It's just life.  It happens to us all." 

But I believe it's deeper than that.  Our church and its members are under attack from all directions.  The purpose of this attack is to keep us from fulfilling some great things God wants to do through us.

So what do we do?  One word:  PRAY.

On the day before the election, we will be praying for 24 hours for our country.

You have done a wonderful job praying for our family as my wife went through back surgery.

You are letting everyone know about prayer needs by "Replying All" to any emails I've sent to the class.

You're doing really good.

But I expect more.

Huh?

You heard me.  I...Expect...More.

We do great letting each other know about physical problems for us and those we love.  I want us to go deeper.

Now, what I want doesn't lend itself to broadcast by email.

This week, the first part of our lesson is about Jesus going into the Garden of Gethsemane the night before His crucifixion.  He took his most trusted disciples as He went to pour out His heart to God.

That's what I want for our class.  We each have issues that weigh on our heart.  I hope you have another Christian you can talk with about those issues.  If you don't, I ask you to find someone in our class who will be that person.  Call them your accountability partner, your prayer partner, or your encourager.  The title doesn't matter; their prayers and support do.

Think about it.  Then act.

So what is our lesson about this week at 9:50 a.m.?  Here it is in a nutshell..."When Christ submitted to the Father's will, it brought great suffering, caused great shame, but led to His exultation."

Our scripture passages are Mark 14:32-36, Philippians 2:5-11, and Hebrews 1:1-4.

One thing going on Sunday afternoon you need to know about.  At 4:30 p.m. in the sanctuary, we will be celebrating a baptism service.  It is a moving experience.  Be there to celebrate the outward sign of an inner change of those being baptized.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“I don’t mind the question if you don’t mind the answer.”  William Bailey

Housework Can Kill You--Almost -- October 12, 2012

I'm writing this email while sitting in the Trinity Emergency Room.

How did I get here?  Well, you leave Liberty Park on 459 North, take the Grant's Mill Road exit and turn left, Oh!  You mean why am I in the ER?

It's not for me; it's for Christina.   She pinched a nerve in her back while cleaning house yesterday.
Her pain was severe.  It went from her lower back down her right leg.

We contacted her doctor just before 5:00 yesterday.  He called in some pain medicine and a 6-day round of oral steroids.  We picked those up last night.

The pain medicine didn't help a bit.  No sitting, lying, or standing position gave her relief.

At 3:00 this morning, the pain was too much for her.  I had my parents come over to take care of the girls.  Then, I called an ambulance to transport her to the hospital since sitting up wasn't an option.

Two rounds of morphine didn't help; a steroid injection didn't touch it; an anti-inflammatory shot didn't give relief.  Finally, an IV of muscle relaxant allowed her to sleep.  And that didn't come until 7:30 a.m.

So now she is getting an MRI to see what's going on.

Please pray for her comfort and healing.

So how do I transition from Christina's pain to our lesson this week?  Here it goes...

It was tough seeing Christina in pain and not having the ability to help.

But the toughest part was handing her over to the EMTs so they could transport her in the ambulance while I took my van.

God sent Jesus into the world where there would be pain.  He knew what was in store for His Son but sent Him anyway.

Jesus felt pain.  One of our passages this week looks at Christ's temptation in the wilderness.

And this pain was just a taste of what would come later.

So join us at 9:50 Sunday morning as we discuss aspects of Jesus' life.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all." - Sam Ewing

"Numb to the Word" recap -- October 8, 2012

One of the prevailing ideas about eternity is that God judges on a scale.  If you do more good than bad, you get into heaven.  But that's not what the Bible says.  Here's the video we started with that addresses this idea...

The Good-O-Meter

We also discussed how you must see your sin before you can ask forgiveness for it.  That's one thing that we sometimes gloss over when we are witnessing.  But it is essential to talk about it with a non-believer.

We used this video to see why some people are hesitant to come to church...

Reasons Why People Don't Go To Church

No one can make it into heaven by their own power.  The only way is through Jesus.  To quote John Newton, "My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things--that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Saviour".

Make it a great week!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“You can’t depend on your judgment when your imagination is out of focus.” -- Mark Twain

You Chose WHAT for Dinner? -- October 5th, 2012

When I got back to the hotel Thursday afternoon, I switched on the TV.  Playing on Showtime was a movie from 2004 called "Super Size Me".  It's a movie about a 33-year-old guy named Morgan Spurlock who conducts a non-scientific experiment on himself.

Morgan's plan is to eat three meals a day for 30 days at McDonald's.  If the person behind the counter asks if he wants his meal to be "Super Sized", he must agree.  Before starting, doctors weighed him and took blood samples to establish a baseline.

It follows Morgan for 30 days as he travels across the country interviewing people about the nation's growing epidemic of obesity.  Each week, he is weighed and more blood is drawn.  Over the 30 days, he gained 27 pounds and his bloodwork turned horrendous.

The movie ended and it was time for me to find something for dinner.  Here's the funny thing.  After watching Morgan eat fast food over and over, I really wasn't in the mood for any fast food from anyplace.  I had a late lunch, so I didn't want anything real heavy.

So what choice do you have when you are staying in a hotel?  It took me a while to make my decision.

Do you know what sounded good?  Fruit.  (My wife probably just spewed coffee all over her keyboard)

Fruit isn't something I've ever had as my dinner.  Ever.  But that's what sounded good. 

Fortunately, there was a Whole Foods store a few miles away.  They didn't have watermelon, but they did have cantaloupe and grapes.  So that and a bottle of water was my dinner.

Where am I going with this?  I had the choice between eating healthy or not-so-healthy.  This time, I chose healthy.

On Sunday morning (9:50 a.m., of course) we'll be looking at choices of another sort.  We'll look at Session 6 entitled "Numb to the Word".

The scripture passages we'll talk about are Ephesians 2:1-2, Romans 6:23, Isaiah 64:6, and Romans 3:10-12.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“We can’t afford to waste tears on might-have-beens. We need to turn the tears into sweat that can take us to what can be.” Denis Waitley

Where Do The Ten Commandments Belong? -- September 28, 2012

In July of 2011, my family and I went to Washington, D.C.  It was the first time any of us had been to our nation's capital.

The historic sites we visited left me awe-struck.

But there was one place we couldn't visit because it isn't open to the public--the CIA Headquarters Building.

I know that may sound weird.  But I'll explain.  You know I enjoy World War II history.  Well, in WWII, President Roosevelt created the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) because the U.S. did not have a unified intelligence-gathering agency.

After World War II, the OSS was disbanded.  But the need for intelligence gathering was soon apparent after a few years.  That's when the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was formed.

I'd love to visit CIA Headquarters to see three things:

First, the memorial to the OSS and the statue of Major General William J. "Wild Bill" Donovan.  Donovan was the head of the OSS during WWII.

Second, the CIA Memorial Wall and the Book of Honor.  Carved into the CIA Memorial Wall are 103 stars which symbolize the 103 CIA officers who gave their lives in service to our country.  The Book of Honor lists the names of 79 officers who died.  The names of the 39 others remain secret, even after their deaths.  They are remembered in the book with a simple star.

Third, the motto of the CIA carved in stone in the Original Headquarters Building.  The motto of the CIA is "And Ye Shall Know the Truth and the Truth Shall Make You Free".  If that sounds familiar, it's because the CIA's motto just happens to be John 8:32.

So what does this have to do with our lesson on Sunday?

Well, do you remember the dust-up a few years back about the giant Ten Commandments monument placed in Alabama's Capital Building?

It was the talk of the country for a while.  It was debated and discussed ad nauseum.  In the end, a compromise was reached.

How can ten rules cause so much divisiveness?

On Sunday, we'll look at the full text of the Ten Commandments from Exodus 20.  So you know what to expect, here it is...

"And God spoke all these words:

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

“You shall have no other gods before me.

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

“You shall not murder.

“You shall not commit adultery.

“You shall not steal.

“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

So come join us Sunday morning at 9:50 a.m. as we take a closer look at "The Law". 

And if you want some extra credit, bring in a 3-page essay comparing and contrasting the Ten Commandments to Matthew 22:37-40.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

"Passion, though a bad regulator, is a powerful spring." — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Was It Really An Apple? -- September 21, 2012

Last Sunday, Scott preached about "The Good Samaritan".  He did a great job of taking a story everyone thinks they have all figured out and finding new truths.

Our lesson this week will be similar.  It's the story of "The Fall".  No, I'm not talking about college football season.  I'm talking about the fall of man, the original sin, the first mess-up.

Normally, I give you a link to our scripture passage.  But this week, I'm just going to print it here because it is only six verses.  It's kinda funny that the first time we humans were tempted, put up a pathetic fight, and did something we weren't supposed to took only six verses.  Actually, it took only 163 words to tell the whole story.

With that, I give you Genesis 3:1-6:

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
 
The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

So there you have it.  Satan asked one question and made one comment.  Human nature took it from there.

You'd think this passage was fairly straight-forward.  In a way it is.  But there are some nuances we'll look at Sunday morning at 9:50 a.m.  What nuances?  You'll have to be there to find out.

And if you think this is just a children's story you'd find in Brian's 'Illustrated Bible for Kids', you're in for a treat!

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“God put me on earth to accomplish certain things.  Right now, I’m so far behind, I’ll never die.”  - From Calvin and Hobbes

'God Is Not Mute' recap -- September 18, 2012

We looked at what is theologically called "special revelation".  That refers to the specific things God said about himself to us through the authors of the Bible.

This is what the Southern Baptist Convention's Baptist Faith and Message says about the Bible: 

"The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation."

We spent time Sunday morning discussing how important the Bible is.  But if all your Bible does is sit there, you won't grow as a Christian.  If the only time it's touched is when you bring it Sunday morning, it will do nothing for your family.  If you never open it, you won't be able to help this church take the gospel outside the church walls.

For the Bible to really work in your life, you need to read what's inside.  Now I sell books for a living, so I'm partial to the actual book.  But I'm no techno-phobe.

I have a copy of the Bible on my phone.  I do my daily devotion, Our Daily Bread, on the computer each day.  It has a link to the scripture passage that I click and read.

In every Friday's email, I use www.biblegateway.com to give you a link to our verses.  And the cool thing about biblegateway is that you can change the translation with just the click of the mouse.

Here's my challenge to you.  Start (or continue) reading your Bible every day.  Whether it's a daily devotion or a "Read the Bible in One Year" plan, take a look at what's inside your Bible.  You might be surprised at what you find.

And the more you read God's Word, the more your life will conform to His will.

Make it a great week!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“The glory of friendship is not in the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is in the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him.”  – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The B I B L E, now that's the book for me -- September 14, 2012

One of my favorite movies is "The Replacements".  In the movie, the 'real' pro football players go on strike, so the owners hire 'replacement' players.  Gene Hackman is the coach; Keanu Reeves is the quarterback with confidence issues. 

The replacement players come from all kinds of backgrounds:  grocery clerk, bouncer, soccer player, convict, boat cleaner, cop.  Coach Jimmy McGinty (Gene Hackman) must get this rag-tag group to come together and work as a team.

Here's one of the best scenes:


"You're playing.  And you think everything is going fine.  Then one thing goes wrong.  Then another.  And another.  And you try to fight back.  But the harder you fight, the deeper you sink.  Until you can't move.  You can't breathe.  Because you're in over your head.  Like quicksand."

What about you?  Have you ever felt like you're stuck in quicksand?  That the more you struggle, the worse it gets?

Everybody goes through times like that.  It can happen to a person, to a family, to a workplace, and even to a church. 

The question is:  What can you do about it?

The answer:  Go to the Bible.

You see, God gave us the Bible so we can learn from those who came before us.  The solution to most of life's stresses are found in the pages of your Bible.  You just have to pick it up and find it.

But you want to know what I think is the best thing about the Bible?  Not only will it answer your "What" questions, it also tells you "How".

The "How" of the Bible is wonderful.  It's the common theme that runs from Genesis to Revelation.  That theme is love.  The entire Bible is a love story about God for His people.

And as Christians, we are to show love to everyone.  But we are to especially show love to fellow Christians.

No matter the problem or situation, our commandment is to show love to others.

This week in Sunday School, our lesson title is "God Is Not Mute"; the subtitle is "The God Who Reveals Himself Through His Word".  It's session 3 in The Gospel Project.

What's this lesson about?  Short answer--the Bible.  Long answer (from The Gospel Project)--"God has not only revealed Himself through creation, He has also spoken to us through the written Word. In His Word, God specifies His intentions for humanity and His expectations of us. He shows us how the glory of Christ is the purpose of world history. We are to respond to God’s special revelation by aligning our lives with His expressed will."

Our scripture passages will be 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Psalm 19:7-11, and Luke 24:25-27.

At 9:50 a.m. on Sunday, we'll look at the importance of God's Word.  Turns out, the more time you spend in the Word, the easier it is to navigate this crazy world we're passing through.

So make plans to be there Sunday morning.

Well, I started with a football analogy.  So I might as well end with one.  Here it is...

What should we strive for?  One heartbeat. 

Who's heartbeat?  God's heartbeat.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“Whatever must happen ultimately should happen immediately.” – Henry Kissinger

"God Is Not Hiding" recap -- September 11, 2012

On Sunday, we looked at God's existence, attributes, and intentions through creation.  We talked about how mankind has used his creativity to come up with alternate ideas of who created the world.

Have you googled "creation myths" yet?  I told you that you'd get some doozies.  Anyway, we saw a video that sings about a non-Biblical explanation of how the world was made:



My question about that is:  "Who caused the bang?".

I hope you were in the worship service (aka Big Church) because Nate did a great job with his sermon.  He used John 13:34-35 as his focal verse.  That verse says: 

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

God showed His love for mankind by giving us life on this terrestrial ball.  He send Christ to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  If we call ourselves "Christians", shouldn't we love each other?  Something to think about.

Make it a great week!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“Talk that does not end in any kind of action is better suppressed altogether.” – Thomas Carlyle

Is finding God in nature enough to get you to heaven? -- September 7, 2012

Where in nature do you feel closest to God?

I feel closest to God when I'm by a stream.  The sound of the water gurgling across the rocks helps me clear my thoughts so I can concentrate on God.  The stream was flowing before I got there and keeps flowing after I'm gone.  This helps me concentrate on a God who was always and will always be there.

So what about you?  Where in nature do you feel closest to God?

This Sunday we will continue looking at creation in our lesson entitled "God Is Not Hiding".  It is Session 2 in your book.  We'll see how God reveals His existence, attributes, and intentions through creation.

Our scripture passages will be Psalms 19:1-6, Romans 1:20, and Acts 14:15-17.  (Who knew you could discuss creation without a Genesis passage?)

It amazes me how some people worship nature.  I'm not talking about enjoying nature's beauty; I'm talking about actually worshiping the things they see. 

God did an awesome job designing the world we live in.  He designed the whole world to point everyone to Him. 

But some people look at it like this: "Since God designed everything, He must be IN everything."  So, instead of searching for God, they settle for worshiping something God made.  This is just another form of idolatry.

Let's huddle up Sunday morning at 9:50 a.m. to dive into this further.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“I always wonder why birds choose to stay in the same place when they can fly anywhere in the world.  Then I ask myself the same question.”  - Harun Yahya

Introducing "The Gospel Project" -- August 31, 2012

Happy Labor Day Weekend one and all!

If you will be out of town this weekend, have a great time and be safe.

If you are in town, meet me at Sunday School at 9:50 Sunday morning.

Why?

We are starting a new curriculum.  It's called "The Gospel Project".  The focus is tying everything in both the Old and New Testaments back to the Gospel.

If you got a book last week, you'll find two devotions you can do.  The first is on page 8; the second on page 9.

The title of our lesson is "The God Who Speaks".  The topics and scripture passages are:

1.  The God who speaks has authority -- Genesis 1:1-3
2.  The God who speaks is merciful to reveal Himself to us --Exodus 3:2-6
3.  The God who speaks gives us tasks --Genesis 1:27-30

None of these verses will be new to you, but our take on them will be.

So join us at 9:50 a.m. Sunday morning.  You'll be glad you did.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” -- Mark Twain

Go Show Jesus' Love -- August 27, 2012

This Saturday begins the college football season.

I am so looking forward to it.  I love getting into that zone where the only thing that matters is the ebb and flow of my Crimson Tide.

I’m passionate about my team.  So much so that when my wife and I were dating, each of my friends asked her not to make a final decision on me until she had watched me watch an Alabama football game.  They told her that if she could handle that, everything else was a piece of cake.

Why?  Because I’m that fan that will pace back and forth during a series, get on my hands and knees for a long field-goal kick, and argue with referee calls that go against BAMA.  When the girls were little, I sometimes scared them so much with my antics that they started crying.  I’m mellower now, but still passionate.

Watching a game is also an isometric exercise adventure.  What do I mean?  Well, an isometric exercise is when you contract your muscle and then let it relax.  Whether it’s offense, defense, or special teams, I am constantly tensing and relaxing.  It’s probably the most exercise I get all week.

You may be the same way.  Here’s the rub for all of us though.  We’ll show that passion on Saturday, then come in Sunday morning with the passion of a wet paper towel.

I’m not advocating showing up to the worship service with John 3:16 painted on your chest, but we need to have that same dedication on Sunday that we have on Saturday.  It might even look to others that we are enjoying ourselves during Big Church.

I’m not the guy to give a rah-rah speech like your favorite coach does.  But I will put my passion into presenting our lesson to you with as much energy as God gives me.  From there, it’s up to you.  My prayer every week is that you find some nugget of understanding that you can take with you through your week.

Jeremiah spent his forty years of ministry saying just one thing.  And no one listened.   

I can’t promise you that you will be successful every time you witness to someone.  The Holy Spirit will do the heavy lifting; you just have to present the gospel.

So here is your nugget for this week…

You want the entire New Testament summed up in four words?  Here it is:  “Go show Jesus’ love”.

“Go”     — Christianity is active.  It isn’t to be horded, but instead to be taken to others.

“Show” — Christians are called to model Christ’s actions.

“Jesus” — He was the perfect sacrifice for the world’s sins and was raised by God on the third day.

“Love”   — People want to be loved so much they’ll do anything for it.

If you truly want to accomplish something for Jesus, you have to be prepared.  That means studying scripture, praying for God’s guidance, fellowshipping with other believers, and participating in worship.  Look at every figure in the New Testament and they did those four things.  It’s the only way to train for the Christian life.

Walking out the doors of our classroom yesterday placed you in the mission field.  You will be tempted, sorely tempted, to water down the message that the only way to God is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.  Don’t give in to that temptation. 

GO.  SHOW.  JESUS’.  LOVE.

Make it a great week!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“You have to find something that you love enough to be able to take risks, jump over the hurdles and break through the brick walls that are always going to be placed in front of you. If you don’t have that kind of feeling for what it is you’re doing, you’ll stop at the first giant hurdle.” —George Lucas